Things are very clearly pretty messed up at Konami right now, but there's a pachinko machine for literally everything in Japan so I don't think this is the big "final nail in the coffin" for Silent Hill that some people are making it out to be. Certainly no more than The Arcade or cell phone games were.

The worst part to me is that everything about it is just wrong enough. The Evil Eye thing doesn't fit Silent Hill's aesthetic at all, we have scenes of James and Laura playing which have no basis in the plot, and Maria's most famous line was changed, and nobody has the same voice.

It wouldn't even be so bad if it hadn't intruded on the actual games. Like, when I brought up introducing the Pixie to Silent Hill, it was a choice between 2 or 3 (I mean, I adore SH1, but it's probably not the best introduction to a self-admitted coward) and I most certainly didn't want her picking up the HD Collection, so I volunteered to buy her a PS2 game, myself.

It's one thing for James to (say...) show up on Smash Brothers, with his ultimate attack involving a pillow. I'm fine with fun, and all that. It's another thing when there seems to be a lack of respect for the series, itself. I think I'd prefer if Konami just retired Silent Hill, period, as unrealistic as that is.

And, to be fair, it's not just Konami. I saw Ito's artwork for Downpour. Now, maybe somebody could clear this up to me, but what does this have to do with the game? I never finished it, so I can't say personally, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Konami just dialed up Ito and he pulled something he'd already finished out of his (admittedly very talented) ass and sold it to them. That's a sin on both sides, as a fan.

The thing is... or maybe it doesn't matter to gamblers, but these machine's branding is only known thanks to the traditional games Konami makes. But if Konami stops making those then doesn't that devalue the brand? But then again, slots and pachinko are what they are and I doubt anybody at the Casino cares really.

I think I'd prefer if Konami just retired Silent Hill, period, as unrealistic as that is.

I feel like as time goes on, more and more people who got into this series with the original games reach this point. We're at the point now where it's questionable if Konami even intends to make video games at all anymore and if they do will people even buy them? I can't count how many times I've heard people say "MGSV will be my last Konami game". Of course, saying and doing are very different things, but I think it's a more prevalent feeling now than ever before for most. Given their behavior lately and some of the information that has come to light, I can't say I blame them. It's certainly a hard time to be a fan of Konami's work.

For what it's worth though, I've never really supported the idea of Silent Hill ending completely. It's been discussed to death on here before, but I personally consider Shattered Memories to be up there with 1-3 in terms of quality. Downpour was very flawed in many ways, but I though it was pretty great too despite them. I even liked Book of Memories for what it was. Yet there are people who hate all those games with a passion and say they wished Silent Hill ended after 4. Honestly, I had my worries with Silent Hills. I love Kojima, but I've always said I didn't think he was right for this series, and while there was a lot I loved about PT, there was a lot I think it got wrong too.

Still, I think it's better that a series continues if it's making people happy and there are those who enjoy it. It's selfish to say you want something to end because you don't like the direction it's gone in. Sure, you can lament that it's no longer something you enjoy and you can express your wish that it would be as good as you remember it being, you can even leave the series behind entirely and ignore everything you don't like, but I've never agreed with "I don't like this, so it shouldn't exist at all anymore". A lot of my favorite things are things a lot of people hate.

Is anybody truly surprised by this news?But yeah, what's up with the evil eye thing, and the new scenes? I didn't think gambling machines had... "scenes"... kinda confused. Were those just created for the advertising?

I still always hold out hope. I've found enjoyment in all of the SH main-series games, while of course liking some more than others, and I'm always hoping for more decent ones, somehow, from someone. Silly side things like this aren't a huge deal to me... if only they'd take the profit from it and put it towards giving us more awesomeness.

And Kenji, not to step on Aura's opinion, but I've played Downpour a couple of times and don't think that image fits it at all, really. Only by really stretching could I connect it symbolically, maybe, but the style and imagery doesn't fit with the game, that's for sure.

_________________Hunting the abyss lord... only one will stay alive!Running silent, running deep, we are your final prayer